


Christmas Past, Present & Future

by Nadja_Lee



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Family Feels, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Moving On, Sappy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-03-01
Updated: 2001-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22971946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadja_Lee/pseuds/Nadja_Lee
Summary: Scott's Christmases - past, present and future
Relationships: Jean Grey/Scott Summers, Logan/Rogue (X-Men)
Kudos: 18





	1. Christmas Of Yesterday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott's childhood Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two song lyrics in here:  
> “ The gift” was written by Stephanie Davis  
> “ Det kimer nu til julefest” (translated to English). It was written by C.C.N. Balle/ N.F.S. Grundtvig.  
> The poem in here “Daddy, please don’t get drunk this Christmas” was written by me.

# CHRISTMAS OF YESTERDAY

  
Part 1:  
It was December the 24th and Scott Summers was walking around alone in the Mall. He wasn’t looking for a present for he had none to buy one to but just looking at all the other people in the Mall. The children with their mothers pointing at all kinds of toys, fathers with sons in TV shops and lovers walking hand in hand, one waiting for the other as a gift was bought. Normal last minute Christmas shoppers rushing by and Scott pretended for just a moment in time that he was just like them. That he was normal and would have a normal Christmas. But he had never been normal and it had been many years since he had last had a normal Christmas. A boy of only fifteen yet still, had the world been able to see his eyes, it would have seen a pain beyond his years. He knew that remembering only brought sorrow yet still he dreamed himself away. To a time where he had had a family…a home…someone who cared….someone who loved him…

  
Part 2:  
“ Can I have a cookie, please Mommy?” Scott asked of his mother in his sweetest voice and tried to look as cute as possible.

“ Alright but only one. We are to eat soon. And take one for your brother as well,” his mother had said in a kind and loving voice as she had given him two cookies and he had run from the kitchen with a thank you.

He had been very young and he didn’t remember her face but was sure she must have been pretty. He remembered her voice and her brown hair and brown eyes. He didn’t remember the entire Christmas Eve but only bits and pieces. His mother making dinner, him and his brother helping his father finding a tree and helping decorate it. What he remembered more than anything was the feeling of love, of acceptance that he had never found again. As always when he thought of his parents the moment of their death returned to him.

It had been Christmas when he was five and his father was flying them somewhere. He remembered his mother’s voice as she had told him she loved him and made him promise to take care of his kid brother. Then she had pushed him out the airlock with the last parachute and his kid brother in his arms. He remembered that he so wished to reach ground soon as he had felt his grip on his brother loosening. He had looked after the plane and seen it hit a mountain and go up in flames. Instead of the toy train he had wished for that Christmas, his gift had been to be alone. When he and his brother had been taken to a orphanage he had tried to protect his brother as he had promised but after only a few months he had been adopted and Scott had been totally alone. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t hold on to his brother’s image. He remembered him to have blue eyes and blond hair, probably from their father but that was all. Over time he had even forgotten his name. He remembered that Christmas when he was six and all alone at the orphanage. They had been to church and their gift had been a Bible. They had had a tree but they hadn’t got any gifts nor danced around it. The teachers wanted to be with their families and had been in a foul mood. Scott had spent that Christmas in his room, crying because he had felt himself forgetting more and more details about his family.

That Christmas was to be the last he would see for three years as his powers manifested themselves the following summer and Scott had closed his eyes in the belief never to open them again. After three eyes of darkness he had been given the ruby red glasses and had been met by a world covered in red but by then he had lost the memory of colours and although he knew what colour things should have he couldn’t place them in his mind. When he turned twelve he had been given to Jack, his current foster father.

  
Part 3:  
Scott looked at the clock in the mall and saw that it was getting late. Reluctantly he stood and left the mall. He could have stayed forever just looking at the other people rushing by and imagining he was like them, giving gifts to someone, being loved by someone. It was a nice fantasy but that was all it was; a fantasy. He passed some people singing Christmas carols and stopped to listen as their voices moved him;

“It is ringing to Christmas feast  
It is ringing for the guest in the high  
Who came down to us  
With New Year’s gifts, joy and peace

O, come with to David’s town  
Where angels sing under the sky  
O, come with out on the field  
Where the shepherds hear news from God

Come, Jesus, be our guest  
Have with us Your Christmas feast  
Then we will with David’s harp song  
Give thanks to you in our New Year Song”

Something in the song made Scott’s eyes water and he hurried past them as he wiped the tears away with the back of his hand. He had nothing to look forward to at home yet still he knew better than be come too late. He went alone through the Christmas decorated town and admired all the glitter and stars. As he went his thoughts and feelings were in turmoil and he hoped he wasn’t too late. Thoughts and prayers ran through his mind too quickly for him to even register. Even the impossible dreams and hopes..

Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to cry  
Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to be afraid

Just last year  
The only thing  
Falling from the sky  
Was the bitter stream  
Of tears

Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to cry  
Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to be afraid

Every year at this time  
I’m alone  
Sitting in a dark room  
Tears running down my cheeks

Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to cry  
Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to be alone

Why can’t you do that  
For me?  
Why do it have to be  
Like this  
Tears falling every year?

Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to cry  
Please Daddy,  
Don’t get drunk this Christmas  
I don’t want to be afraid

Part 4:  
Scott opened the door to the poor apartment in the bad part of town where he lived with his foster father. He saw that Jack was sitting, as usual, by the TV with a beer in his hand. Please, please let it be his first one tonight, Scott prayed fanatically and wondered why he even bothered. His prayers had never been answered before. He remembered with a shiver last Christmas when he had been fourteen. He had gone through town and just looked at all the people and Christmas decorations. He had lost track of time and first been home past midnight. When he had come home, Jack had been very drunk and he had gotten the worst beating in his life. He had spent that Christmas, pained and bruised, curled up in a corner in his small dark room, silent tears running down his cheeks.

Scott tried to tiptoe past the livingroom and froze as Jack’s voice cut through the room;

“ Where have you been, One-Eye?” He asked harshly.

Scott knew Jack only kept him around for the monthly check and because he wanted to use his powers to help him commit break-ins, but still his hate-filled voice always make him wince. If one ting, Jack was always good at reminding him that he wasn’t normal and that he should be glad that he even had a home, now that he was a freak.

“ I was….out to get the stuff you asked for,” Scott lied, knowing he could never tell the truth; that he had wanted to know how it felt like to be normal, to have a normal Christmas. Just to pretend for a moment.

“ Yeah, yeah. What are you waiting for, boy? A present?” He laughed at the absurdity at the very thought as Scott had been standing still in fear that his lie had been detected.

“ From you, I expect nothing,” Scott whispered under his breath and practically ran to the safety of his small, dark room.

Jack had said that since Scott couldn’t see colours anyway, there wasn’t any need for him to have electricity in his room. Luckily there was a big window in the small room ,where there where only room for a bed, so if the sun was shining he could see. Unfortunately the direct sunlight also worsened the pain in his eyes and mind as it powered his blasts but if he wanted light it was the only way. Kneeling by his bed he reached under it and took forth a small spruce he had found in the park the other day. He had put its root in a plastic bag with water but it still looked half-dead. He gentle removed it from the bag and placed the small breach between two old books. Reaching under the bed yet again he took out a small box and opened it. Inside lay treasures he had collected through the years. Two small red hearts made from paper when he was younger, a star made from fine glitter paper he couldn’t remember where from he had gotten and his most precious procession; a small white angel cut from cardboard. It wasn’t even very pretty but for him it was the most beautiful thing in the world. After his brother had left a small girl named Lucy had given it to him, saying that now he would never be alone ever again. He put his small things on the breach and from under the bed took forth a small present. He knew what was in it, he had brought it himself after having saved up for months. It was packed in beautiful Christmas paper. He put it under the tree and looked sadly at his small, pitiful Christmas tree. Softly he began to sing;

“A poor orphan girl named Maria  
Was walking to… market one day  
She stopped to rest by the roadside  
Where a bird… with a broken wind lay  
A few moments passed till she saw it  
For its feathers were covered with sand  
But soon clean and wrapped… it was travelling  
In the warm of Maria´s small… hand

She happily gave her last… peso  
On a… cage made of rushes and twine  
She fed it loose corn… from the market  
And watched it grow… stronger with time

Now…. the Christmas Eve service was coming  
And…. the church shone… with tinsel and light  
And all the townfolks brought…. presents  
To lay by the manger that…. night  
There…. were diamonds and…. incense  
And perfumes  
In packages…. fit for a king  
But….. for one ragged bird in a small cage  
Maria had…. nothing to bring

She… waited till… just before midnight  
So… no one would see her go in  
And… crying she knelt by the manger  
For her… gift was …unworthy of…. Him”

Scott’s voice broke down and faded away as tears began to fall from his eyes. He had always liked the song, not just because it was the only song he could remember his mother singing but also because it somehow reminded him of himself. Wiping the tears away he smiled bittersweetly at his small tree.  
“ Merry…Christmas, Scott,” he said softly and took the small package from under his small branch. Careful so not to ruin the fine paper he unwrapped it. It was a book, H.C. Andersen’s “The Little Match Girl”. It was the story of a orphan girl who was out on Christmas Eve to try and sell matches but it was so cold so she lit a match and for each match she pictured something wonderful like a warm lit fireplace, a family eating a nice Christmas dinner together or a beautiful Christmas tree. The next morning the girl had been found frozen to death but with a small smile on her lips.  
Scott let his fingers glide slowly over the picture of the family sitting together. It was his favourite picture and he remembered it in colours from when he had first read the book in the orphanage all those years ago.  
The moonlight came through the window and bathed a small boy in its light as he sat all alone before a small breach a Christmas Eve with a old book in his hands. The stars shone and made the tears which fell from his eyes glimmer but his bittersweet smile shone by itself.


	2. Christmas Of Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott and Jean are to celebrate their first Christmas together but then Scott’s past comes knocking…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: All Swahili and Russian were done by memory. They may not be grammatically correct. if so please do correct me so I can fix it.  
> *mmmm * is telepathically thoughts spoken in the mind. “ mmmmm ” is spoken out loud.

# CHRISTMAS OF TODAY

**Part 1, December the 20th:**

“ May we have a cookie, please auntie Jeannie?” Charlotte and John asked her in their sweetest voices and Jean smiled warmed at the two youngest students.

“ Charlotte, John, stop harassing Jean. You’ll get a cookie when she’s finished barking them,” came Scott’s voice from the livingroom.

“ Ok, just one,” Jean gave in and the eight years old twins took a warm newly baked cookie from the plate. Yelling a thank you they ran off. The twins mother, Lucy, had died but on her deathbed she had asked Scott to look after her children. Scott had of cause accepted, saying he owned her for an angel. Jean didn’t mind. She loved children and was looking forth to hers and Scott wedding in spring. She looked longingly after the children as they ran off. She wanted children of her own. Hers and Scott’s children.

“ Halloo? Earth to Jean. Give me a hand with these,” Jubilee complained as she carried bags of Christmas food into the kitchen.

“ Yeah, sure” Jean hurried to help her with the groceries.

“ Jean, my friend, there is a fire in the oven and I didn’t start it,” Storm commented as she came into the kitchen. She had been outside with Logan and Rogue and had been putting the lights up.

“ Oh, my God” Jean yelled and hurried to try and save some of her brownies. Storm went over to the socket outlet and pushed on. Nothing happened.

“ Told you” Logan smirked from outside.

“ Don’t listen to him, Storm. He was the one to say the lights worked in the first place,” Rogue’s voice came from the garden.

“ Hey, who’s side are you on, kid?” came Logan´s voice with false wounded pride.

“ Yours. Always yours,“ Storm could hear Rogue replay but laugher was in her voice.

“ Oh, no you don’t” Rogue added and soon a yell followed and Storm saw Logan running after a laughing Rogue with a snowball out on the front lawn.

”Watoto na mahawara [Swahili for ”Children and lovers”]" Storm mumbled under her breath and went out to restore order to things and probably send Logan up on the roof again to find the damage in the lights.

“ A little to the right, Remy. Bobby, not there. No. Yes, there. Now it’s wrong again. A little to the left” Came Scott’s voice from the livingroom.

* Having fun, love?* Jean asked him amused through their telepathic link as she struggled to save just a few of her brownies.

* This is our first Christmas as a couple so it will be the best* came his voice in her mind but just a few seconds after she heard him yell out loud;

“ Bobby, look out! Remy is on the letter by the tree!” Before he had finished his sentence, Jean head a loud boom and hurried to the livingroom to see what had happened. Bobby had backed into Remy who had been standing on a letter trying to put the star on their Christmas tree and when Bobby had bumped into him, Remy had fallen onto the tree and it had overturned. The children had wanted to put up the tree already and Scott had been surprisingly quick to agree. He had taken great joy in all the Christmas preparations and had wanted all to the perfect. She had seen all the gifts he had brought; they could hardly be under their bed. Many of the students didn’t have any family who would claim them so Scott had brought nice, big gifts to them all, saying that having someone to give gifts to often was nicer than receiving. She wasn’t sure she believed him. She had spent two Christmases with Scott and every time he had received a gift he had acted like a small child on his first Christmas Eve only he always unwrapped his gifts very carefully so not to destroy the fine Christmas paper. Scott had never told her of his past yet she was sure there was more to his behaviour than the normal joy at Christmas.

“ I always thought the tree was supposed to stand up,” Peter commented amused as he and his girlfriend, Kitty, entered the livingroom with boxes filled with Christmas decorations in their hands. They put the boxes on the floor and stared at the mess in the room. Peter had joined the school as his parents had moved from Russia to the US.

“ Very funny, Mon Ami,” Remy said sarcastically as he with Scott’s help, liberated himself from the very friendly tree which lay on top of him. Bobby brushed himself off and also stood.

“ I thought it was,” Kitty said as she leaned against Peter’s board chest.

” áëàãîäàðþ âàñ, âîçëþáëåííûé [Russian for ”Thank you, Beloved”],” Peter whispered and drew her into his embrace and gave her a long kiss.

“ Get a room,” Jubilee said amused as she too had entered the room to see what all the fuss was about.

Ring, ring, the phone rang.

“I´ll take it,” Scott said and went to take the phone in the corridor just outside the livingroom. “ Xavier´s school. Scott Summers, speaking”

“ Halloo, I’m calling from St. John’s hospital. Are you Scott Summers, Jack Daniels foster child?”

 **Part 2:**   
Time seemed to stand still. Scott hadn’t head that name in years and hadn’t wanted to either. A childish part of him wanted to hang up and try to forget that the conversation had ever taken place. But he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t run away, not again. Jack didn’t have any hold over him anymore, he wasn’t a freighted young child anymore and he needed to prove that more to himself than Jack.

“ I am he” Scott’s voice sounded strange, even to his our ears.

“ I am sorry to tell you this but your foster father is dying. He’ll probably not live through Christmas. He has asked for you,” the female voice on the other end was filled with sympathy and compassion and it annoyed Scott. The comment, good, was on his lips but he didn’t say it.

“ Why….why are you telling me these things?” Scott asked in a shocked voice. As a child how often hadn’t he wished to get this phone call. That someone told he Jack was gone, that he could never touch him again. Never hurt him again.

“ You are his closest, and as far as we know, only relative. You better hurry over here to see him,” the voice was still kind and sorrowful.

“ I´ll be there,” he said and hung up. He didn’t know why he had said that. His thoughts and feelings were in turmoil.

“ Who was it?” Jean asked softly as she sensed his distress.

“ The hospital. My foster father is dying,” Scott replayed tonelessly. He still couldn’t believe it.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jean said sadly and lay a calming hand on his arm.

“ Don’t be. I’m not,” Scott replied harshly and tore his arm away from hers and went to get his jacket.

 **Part 3:**  
Scott stood outside Jack’s room and wasn’t sure if he were to go in. He wasn’t even sure why he was here. Curiosity, maybe? Revenge? The desire to see him die? Or something else? The desire to show him that he had become someone? I came do this, Scott thought as he lay a hand on the door handle. Jack couldn’t hurt him anymore. Not psychically, anyway.  
“ Well, don’t just stand in the door like a idiot,” a harsh but weak voice demanded as Scott stood as frozen when he saw his foster father again for the first time since Xavier had found him. He couldn’t see Jack’s face, he was staring the other way. Annoyed by his tone, Scott let the door slam shut.

“ After all these years you haven’t changed a bit,” Scott said bitterly and took a chair and sat by Jack’s bedside. Jack turned pained towards him. A lot of machines were connected to him and he looked very small in the big hospital bed. Scott felt several desires at once as he was face to face with him again. First he wanted to back away from him as he had done as a child, second he wanted to hit him for all the pain he had caused him and third he wanted to ask why. Why hadn’t he loved him? Why had he done the things he had done? Why call him here now? Instead he did neither.

“ So, you came. I didn’t think you would,” Jack said weakly as he looked Scott up and down.

“ Yeah, well…You ruined all my other Christmases why should this one be any different?” Scott asked bitterly. Jack reached to the nightstand next to his bed and opened a beer. He saw the look of disgust on Scott’s face and half-smiled.

“ Still don’t like alcohol?”

“ Gee, I wonder why?” Scott said darkly. With all the drinking Jack had been doing through the years Scott hadn’t been surprised when the doctor had told him he was dying from kidney failure.

“ I thought you weren’t allowed to drink in hospitals,” he added.

“ You aren’t but when did that ever stop me?”

“ Never,” Scott replied, a hard edge to his voice as he remembered all the break-ins Jack had wanted him to be a part off. Having a boy who could blast through steal walls was very handy for a criminal. If Scott had tried to refuse he had gotten a sound beating and the “I own you and you owe me” speech.   
Something he had never thought he would ever see in Jack’s eyes appeared; regret.

“ I…know now I did a lot of things wrong and I’m….I hope you can forgive me for that” His eyes narrowed. “ I’m not saying I’m the only one to blame here. You were a unruly child. Had you just done what I had told you to….But due to my drinking things got out of hand, I know that now. Like that Christmas when you were fourteen…..” Jack’s voice trailed off and the tightening of his jaw said that Scott hadn’t forgotten.

“ It’s too little, too late.”

“ Don’t you dare be so upright, boy. I saw you on TV with that mutant group; X-men. They say you’re terrorists,” Jack’s voice was weak but it still held a edge of steel.

“ This is pointless,” Scott said and stood up and started to leave.

“ Wait!” Something in his tone…regret? Made Scott pause and turn back towards him.

“ Just think about it?” He asked and his voice held a edge of pleading.

“ I won’t change my mind.”

“ That was what I said to my father as he on his deathbed asked for my forgiveness for the beatings he had been given me as a child. Violence and hate was all I ever knew. Don’t let it be all you ever know.”

Before Scott could argue or even comment on that Jack had fallen asleep, totally exhausted.

 **Part 4, December the 21st:**   
“ Scott, you don’t have to help me. Why don’t you go sit with your father? I can manage,” Jean said gently as Scott helped her with cakes, rice and red cabbage in the kitchen.

“ He is NOT my father,” Scott yelled at her and Jean winced. Scott immediately regretted his angry outburst.

“ I’m sorry, Jean. I’m…just confused,” he said softly and Jean went into his embrace.

“ It’s ok,” she whispered, not quite knowing what he meant. Scott was more than confused. Before he had known who he was and who his foster father was. Now that clear cut line between them was getting blurry. He was beginning to see Jack as a person. As a child he had always seemed unbeatable, a man without a past, feelings, consciousness or remorse. Not a man at all.  
Later Scott sat in the livingroom and stared blindly into the fireplace, deep in thought.

“ Hey, One-Eye” Logan said good-naturally and seated himself next to Scott.

“ Don’t call me that!” Scott snapped. He hated being called that, it always bought back unpleasant memories of his childhood but now more than ever.

“ Hey, relax. I’m on your side,” Logan raised his hands in a surrendering gesture.

“ Jean sent you?”

“ Nah, Marie”

So that was why he was playing nice for a change. This had got to be the proof that Rogue could make Logan do anything. For a while they sat in silence.

“ Maybe if I knew what was wrong I might help you,” Logan finally said as the silence became too much for him.

“ How do you forgive someone who has hurt you?” Scott asked so lowly that had it been anyone but Logan they wouldn’t have heard him.

“ You don’t. You hurt `em back,” Logan said simply.

“ Thanks,” Scott said with a smile for that piece of advise. Not that he could use it to much. Jack was already dying and the only thing he could do was to deny him forgiveness and he hadn’t yet decided on that.

“ Don’t mention it,” Logan mumbled as he left, satisfied that he had completed his small mission.

“ Sometimes good people do bad things, Mon Ami, and then forgiveness is in order,” Remy said softly. Scott had completely forgotten that Remy had been in the other end of the room, reading a book. Something in Remy´s voice caught his attention. Pain? Regret? Guilt? But before he could ask him what he meant Remy had left.

Part 5, December the 22nd:  
Scott went to Jack’s room and took a chair and sat by his side.

“ Have you...come…to ..tell…me...your decision?” Jack asked weakly, his life was drawing to a close.

“ Yes. I can forgive you your weakness to drink but not your hate, your carelessness. I wouldn’t forgive and I can’t forget,” Scott answered seriously, having finally reached a decision.

“ That…will…do…then…” Jack said weakly and he drew his last breath and closed his eyes for the last time. On his face a small smile shone even in death. Had it been anyone else Scott would have mourned their passing but this was one death he couldn’t and wouldn’t mourn.

Part 6, Early December the 24th:  
Scott stood alone before Jack’s grave. He had been the only one at church as well. Xavier and Jean had offered to go with him but Jean didn’t know that he was going through and he preferred it like that and he couldn’t take Xavier`s sympathy right now. A cold wind blew over the cemetery and Scott read the stone he had given Jack;

Here lies  
Jack Daniels  
  
It wasn’t very informative but how do one tell a life that you never knew and don’t want to know in a few lines? He now wondered if Jack’s change of heart at the edge of life really changed anything at all and came to the conclusion that it didn’t. Not for him. He knew that Xavier would have wanted him to forgive him but he just couldn’t. The pain was too deep. Standing in the cold alone, he remembered a few happy moments with Jack. Like one time when he had taken Scott with him to town and given him a lollipop. It had been one of the few things he had ever given him. It had been and still was a good memory. For sixteen years Jack had been the only father Scott could remember and his hate had wounded him more than his blows. It wasn’t until he met Xavier than he understood that not all fathers were like Jack and that a father would also be forgiven and kind and not just hard and cold. A paranoid part of Scott was sure Jack had died at Christmas just to bring him as much pain as possible and ruin his first Christmas with Jean now that they were finally together. No matter how much he wanted to he couldn’t even shed one tear over Jack’s dead and empty life but he could fell sorry for his loneliness because he knew that loneliness was about the scariest thing there is. With a last look at Jack’s small graveside and a silent farewell to a father who had never been a father at all, Scott left.

  
_“ May he wake in torment never to find any kind of comfort in Death. May_ _his lies satanic that corrupt even now. Bring him back to confront me_ _again. These are words of hatred. Words of contempt, only one who cared_ _would say. Only one who suffered at the hands and heart of a father who stole_ _both his childhood and soul" - Healthcliff, "Be With Me Always", Cliff Richard_


	3. Christmas Of Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at the X-mansion…with children!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to: Helene and Jaguarita. Thanks for your kindness and friendship.  
> Thanks to Christina for the Beta.

# CHRISTMAS OF TOMORROW

  
**  
Part 1, December the 21st:**  
“ I want that. Gimme.”  
“ You can borrow it later. It is mine.”  
“ I want it now. Gimme!”  
“No!”  
“ Children! Behave,” Jean reproved gently as she entered the livingroom with two glasses of cacao.  
“ But Mom, it is my train,” Charles said and hugged his toy train to him.  
“ I want it. Gimme,” Brian said and reached of it.  
“ Brian, you know it is Charles train. You have your own train. Why don’t you play with that?” Jean asked as she put the cups on the table.   
“ It want this,” Brain said and again tried to take the train.  
“ Now, I…” Jean began.  
“ Jean, Your brownies is on fire,” came Ororo`s voice from the kitchen.  
“ Oh damn,” Jean hurried to the kitchen to try and save her cakes. Why did this always happened to her? Ororo made dinner just fine. Even Scott could make a few meals.  
“ Damn it,” came Logan´s voice from outside.  
“ Sugah, if you stopped clawing the lights every time one didn’t work, we’ll have been finished hours ago,” came Rogue voice.  
“ Yeah, yeah. Try it now, Ro`” Logan said and Storm pushed on. The entire Mansion was at light with colours.  
“ Hon`, they only had duck and turkey left so I bought one each,” Scott said as he entered the kitchen and saw his wife desperately trying to save a few brownies. She looked at him.  
“ Don’t say a word,”  
“ Couldn’t dream of it, love,” he answered sincerely but with a smile playing around his lips as he walked over and gave her a quick kiss. BOOM. BANG.  
“ What was that? It sounded like World War 3,” Scott said concerned.  
“ Probably is. Brian and Charles are in the livingroom,” Jean answered. Damn cookies. How did people do this?  
“ I`ll go check on them,” Scott said as he had put the groceries on the table and Jean with her telekinesis let them fly into the refrigerator.  
BANG. BOOM.  
“ Now what?” Scott asked.  
“ I`ll check on it,” Ororo said and went to one of the other rooms.  
“ WHAT is going on here?” Scott asked sternly as he entered the livingroom and saw his 5 year old son, Charles, use one of his mutants powers, telekinesis to lift all kinds of small objects and throw them after Brian who used his mutant ability of super strength to lift the couch and throw it after Charles.  
“ No don’t,” Scott yelled as he saw it aiming straight at his son but too late. Seeing no other way, he lifted his glasses and shot the couch. Great. That was the third this week. Jean was going to be furious.  
“ By the Goddess. WHAT happened here?” Ororo asked as she saw Peter and Kitty lying in the middle of a lot of Christmas decorations which should have been hanging on the wall.  
“ Sorry. I tried walking on air with Peter and….got distracted,” Even as a young bride Kitty still blushed prettily and Ororo smiled knowingly.  
“ Very well but wasn’t Bobby and Jubilee supposed to help you?”  
“ They….were here,” Peter said lamely as he helped his young bride to her feet.  
“ And they left. Together,” Kitty continued as she began to collect the Christmas decorations up from the floor.  
“ Aha,” Ororo mumbled and exited the room with a smile on her lips.  
  
Part 2: December the 22nd:  
“ As planned we’ll find our Christmas tree today. Who wants to go with me?” Scott asked as the entire gang was collected in the livingroom with coffee, chocolate and Jean’s cookies which all ( expect Jubilee and Logan who were very direct people) actually tried to pretend were eatable. Scott had even forced 3 down as he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.  
“ I want to,” Brian and Charles said at once.  
“ You’ll go too, wouldn’t you, Daddy?” Brian asked of Logan and leaned closer to him. “ I’m not sure One-Eye would know a tree from a garbage can,” Logan laughed and Scott frowned.  
“ Sure, I´ll come,”  
“ I don’t want to come. Princesses don’t do things like that,” 7 years old Rachel said and looked at her mother for confirmation and Jean nodded.  
“ We can bake some more cookies,” Jean suggested and the others tried to contain a sigh.  
“ I´ll help,” Ororo said and the gang seemed relieved.  
“ I will go with you to get the tree and make sure its soul is preserved,” Black Thunder, called Forge, said as he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.  
“ Good idea, love. I was worried for it,” Ororo said as she left for the kitchen.  
“ Ah´ll help you, Ororo, “ Rogue said and was about to stand as Logan pulled her down again and lifted her shawl and kissed her on the lips through it before letting her up.  
“ Ok, all who are coming with me to get the tree leaves now,” Scott said and left the room with Charles following close behind and then the others.  
“ I want that one,” Brian said and went to a young tree and was about to lift it up.  
“ NO!” Black Thunder yelled and Brian froze in time. Black Thunder flew to the now time frozen boy and lifted him away from the tree before lifting his curse on him and Brian could move again.  
“ Don’t ever do that to my boy again,” Logan growled threatening.  
“ Stop it, both of you. Black Thunder, point to a nice tree and bless it before we cut it down,” Scott said and Black Thunder nodded and flew up to look over all the trees in the small forest which Xavier owned as it lay right up to the Mansion. He said some words in his native tongue and made some gestures before flowing back to Scott.  
“ Chief Fire Eyes, I have found a tree for you and Wild Tiger to cut down,” he announced and used his names for his friends. Logan, Scott and the children went to the tree. It was a nice tree and they all liked it.  
“ I´ll cut it down,” Logan said and made his clews come out.  
“ My father is better than yours. Your Dad is a pussy. A One-Eye,” Brian said and smiled proudly at his father.  
“ He’s not and he hates the name One-Eye. Apologise,” Charles demanded and used his telepathy to flew a few mm`s above the ground.  
“ Will not,” Brian refused.  
“ Children. Stop!” Scott demanded and Charles landed on the ground again. Already Charles was very strong in his telepathic powers and one day he might surpass the man his father had named him after; Charles Xavier.  
“ Logan and I aren’t enemies and we don’t wish you to be either,” Scott tried to explain to make them stop fighting. Especially since I´ll like to sleep with Jean tonight and if I know Logan right he’ll like to sleep with Rogue, Scott thought The women blamed the children’s fighting on their husbands and had been very persuasive in convincing them to do anything to make peace between them.  
“ Yeah, friends who disagree a lot. That’s us,” Logan said. Logan cut through half the tree and then saw Scott’s red glaze. Over time he had gotten quite good at reading Scott’s red glaze and he stepped away from the tree as Scott wanted him to. Scott lifted his glasses and cut the tree all the way through, proving to the children that they could work together.  
  
Part 3; December the 23rd:  
“ You can’t have that on a Christmas tree,” Flying Eagle protested as he flew around the top of the Christmas tree.  
“ Sure I can,” Rachel protested and flew after him and put the small dolls with stings bound around their waists on the tree. Flying Eagle looked after his friend as Rachel flew after him and didn’t see the chandelier in front of him.  
“ Look out,” his mother said and quickly flew up to him and with a lighting let the chandelier fall to the ground.  
“ Damn Ororo. That thing cost a fortune,” Scott protested but Jean was quick and caught it with her telekinesis, gently getting it fly to the ground.  
* That’s twice this week. Maybe you should wait till after Flying Eagle has more control over his flying till you put it up again* Jean asked through their telepathic link.  
* Maybe but then how do we get light in this room?* Scott asked as he drew her into his embrace as the chandelier was safely on the ground.  
* You are too practical, husband of mine* Jean sent with a smile.  
* Maybe. So why don’t you kiss me and shut me up? * Scott sent warmly with a smile.  
* Finally something I want to do...* Jean leaned her lips against his and he drew her closer, deepening the kiss.  
“ They look so happy,” Rogue said with a hint of sadness as she stood in Logan`s embrace. They could really touch and really kiss.  
“ Aren’t we happy too? I know that you finally agreeing to being my wife made me the world’s most fortunately and happy man,” Logan said as he stroked her hair. Rogue had wanted to wait with marriage until she was absolutely sure that there wasn’t any hope of her ever touching any one. She had so wanted to be able to touch. To touch Logan.  
“ Yes, Sugah, Ah love you but…Ah wish Ah could touch you,” Rogue admitted and lifted her head to look at him.  
“ I wish that too,” Logan admitted and with a gloved hand stroked her cheek and kissed her through the fabric of her shawl. Since he and Rogue could never touch, they couldn’t get any children either. But with the help of modern technology it had happened anyway. Brian of five years and Stephanie of only one were Rogue and Logan´s only children and both were test-tube babies. They had been “conceived” outside a body and had been removed by Caesarian section as Rogue’s skin was poisonous for them as well even through Jean had hoped that by growing inside Rogue they’ll be immune to her touch.  
  
Part 4; December the 24th:  
“ How much cream shall I put in the sauce?” Scott asked.  
“ 2 litres,” Jean answered as she looked in the cookbook.  
“ 2 litres? Are you sure?” Scott asked disbelieving.  
“ Of cause I’m sure,” Jean said as she continued making the salad. Oh, well. If she was sure…  
“ Rap, rap”  
“ What?” Jubilee asked and looked down to find a duck staring back at her. “ What is that doing here?” She demanded to know.  
“ Oh, how cute,” Kitty said and clapped it on its head.  
“ Yes, very,” Peter agreed absently as he was in deep thought as he tried to understand the cookbook. It really couldn’t be so hard to bake bread. He had seen Kitty do it tons of times. Now, what did this here mean?  
“ Have anyone seen a duck?” Logan asked as he came into the kitchen with a axe, looking for his run away duck.  
“ What? You aren’t going to kill him are you?” Kitty asked shocked as she hugged the duck so close to her breast that it had got to find breathing hard to do. In that moment Peter would have loved to be that duck.  
“ If you want to eat, darlin`, “ Logan mumbled and made a grab for the duck but Kitty lifted it up in her arms.  
“ No,”  
“ Who did you call “darlin`”?” Rogue asked as she entered the kitchen with Stephanie in her clothed arms.  
“ You, only you,” Logan answered quickly. Man, he was whipped. He made a new attempt at getting the duck but Kitty phased both herself and the duck. Scott laughed and Logan growled.  
“ Slim!” He said warningly and Scott got serious again.  
“ Kitty, give the duck to Logan,” Scott said and Kitty reluctantly gave the duck to him but gave him a dirty look.  
“ Hey, don’t look at me like that! This duck has been paid for by Slim and blessed by Thunder Boy. You can’t demand more than that,” Logan protested and left with the duck in a iron grip.  
“ No, don’t you dare,” Ororo said from one of the tables in the big kitchen as Black Thunder took a spoon and tasted her chocolate mousse.  
“ Nice, Wind Wider. I like it,” With that he took some more.  
“ Oh no. This is for tonight,” Ororo said and lifted the bowl away from him but Black Thunder quickly flew around her and took a spoonful more before laughingly putting the spoon down and giving his wife a kiss on the cheek before the Goddess began to made lighting or rain or both fall over him.  
“ Jean, do we have more chocolate? My husband seems to like it a little too much,” Ororo asked teasingly and leaned against Black Thunder’s broad chest.  
“ Try the second drawer from the right. Unless of cause that Scott has eaten it all,” Jean said with a smile.  
“ Hey” Scott protested before his attention came back to what should be sauce. There was something wrong here. It was way too creamy even without the sauce from the duck. He had known it was too much. Why did he always listen to Jean?  
* Because you love me?* Jean asked in his mind.  
* Must be since I don’t use my head* Scott commented as he tried to save some of his sauce.  
“ Mommy, mommy. Look!” Jean turned towards her two year old son, Nate, who sat in a high chair in the kitchen.  
“ Yes, it’s very nice,” Jean said as he was waving his cup in front of her.  
“ More,” Nate said and continued to wave with his cup.  
“ More milk? Of cause,” Jean took Nate´s cup and went to fill it as she saw Nate take his hands towards his red gobbles.  
“ No!” Jean yelled but too late. With his telekinesis Nate made the band burst and his eyes were uncovered as he looked at his mother.  
“ Ororo!” Scott yelled in the moment he had seen his son move his hands towards his head and she quickly let a wind carry him in front of Jean and when the energy left Nate`s eyes he shot Scott right in the chest.  
“Ahh,” Scott couldn’t hold back a scream and Jean quickly let her telekinesis pick up Nate´s red gobbles and tie them securely around his head again. The energy ceased and Scott felt weakly to the floor.  
“ You alright, love?” Jean asked worried as he with her help stood up again.  
“ Yes,” Scott said weakly and looked at the hole in his blouse. When Jean and him had decided to have children they had known that there was a possibility that at least one of their children would inherit their father’s powers. Telepathy and telekinesis were the most normal mutation and all their children possessed it. Charles could also shot blasts from his hands, while Rachel only had her mother’s powers and Nate was the most powerful of all the children. He had both his mother and his father’s power and already he surpassed them both in power while not in ability as he was so young. Unfortunately he, like his father, couldn’t turn off his eye blasts and so Scott and Jean had given him red gobbles which he sometimes tried to remove. He was so young so it was hard to explain the gravity of the situation to him; though Scott had tried.   
“ You alright, my friend?” Ororo asked worried and voiced all the X-men’s concern.  
“ Yes, I’m fine,” Scott said, already feeling better. Him and Nate cancelled each other out power wise. Nate`s beams couldn’t kill him and didn’t leave any marks on him. It could be painful while it lasted but no damage came of it. However Jean and all others didn’t have this ability.  
“ Damn over-grown chicken!” came Logan´s voice from outside.  
“ What’s wrong, Sugah?” Rogue asked concerned as she came to him.  
“ Damn thing bit me,” Logan complained and the other X-men couldn’t contain a laughter.  
  
Part 5; Morning of December the 25th:  
Everyone was gathered in the livingroom as presents were handed out. The children had gotten theirs first and was now playing in the far end of the livingroom with them. By turn each X-man had handed out his or her present and now it was Scott’s turn. He gave Xavier a blanket to lay around his legs and to his wife, Gabrielle, he gave a hat that she had wished for. Peter got a Russian cookbook and Kitty got a Russian dictionary as she had complained that she didn’t understand Peter when he spoke Russian. Ororo got a small exotic plant and Black Thunder got a dream catcher. Jubilee got a CD and Bobby a new warm coat as he sometimes could feel very cold. John got a new radio as he had accidentally burn the old one. He went to Rogue and Logan and lay a big package on their lap ( or rather Rogue’s lap as she was sitting on Logan´s).  
“ Thanks Scott,” Rogue said with a smile and Logan nodded his thanks as well. Rogue opened the package and saw a full body suit inside it.  
“ That’s…very nice,” Rogue said as she looked at the green and white set. It’ll go well with her eyes and hair.  
“ Go put it on. I built a surprise in it with Black Thunder’s help,” Scott said with a smile and Rogue quickly let the room to try the suit on, giving Scott a puzzled look.  
“ This is for you douchka1,” Peter said and gave Kitty a small box. With a smile on her lips she opened it. Inside lay a simple but beautiful white pearl necklace.  
“ Oh, Peter. It’s wonderful,” Kitty said happily and hugged him close. Peter drew back and looked her in the eyes.  
“ No, you’re wonderful. Ia vas liouble,” Peter whispered and drew her in to a kiss. Kitty smiled. This one she knew what meant.  
“ And I love you,” their lips met in a loving kiss.  
“ I have a present for you, my beloved Wind Rider,” Black Thunder said and gave her a small gift wrapped in a small piece of clothing. With a smile she undid the knot and inside she found a beautiful statue made in wood. It was a statue of her, flying on the winds, Black Thunder flying a little lower to her right, looking lovingly up at her.  
“ Do you like it? I made it myself,” Black Thunder asked and with such kindness in his voice that none of his enemies would ever have guessed him capable of.  
“ I love it. Thank you, husband,” Ororo said sincerely and offered him her lips which he happily took.  
“ This is for you,” Scott said as he had found his present for Jean.  
* You didn’t have to*  
* I wanted to*  
She opened it. Inside lay a necklace with a pendent to it. It was of a Phoenix, holding a heart between its clews so gently that it didn’t bruise. A few years ago Jean had taken the codename of Phoenix.  
“ I…It is so beautiful,” Jean said overwhelmed.  
“ You hold my heart in your hands,” Scott whispered softly as he kissed her.  
* And you hold mine*  
When Rogue re-entered the livingroom, only Logan noticed. The suit looked wonderful on her, like a second skin.  
“ Wow,” Logan mumbled and went to her, catching her beneath the mistletoe.  
“ How do Ah look?” Rogue asked as Logan took her in his embrace but the desire in his eyes answered her question.  
“ You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” Logan said hoarsely and even years later he still didn’t know what made him do what he did next. He bent down and claimed Rogue’s lips with his own. Rogue quickly drew back.  
“ Logan! What do you think you’re doing? Are you alright?” She asked, worry and anger in her voice.  
“ Yes, I’m fine. Nothing happened,” Logan said confused.  
“ That was my gift to you,” came Scott’s voice. “ Black Thunder and I made a very small force field around the suit Rogue is wearing. In reality you aren’t touching but the force field is so thin that you can’t feel the difference,” Scott continued to explain but Rogue and Logan wasn’t listening.  
“ We can touch,” Rogue said in wonder and let a ungloved hand hesitantly touch Logan`s cheek. As nothing happened she kissed him and Logan drew her close. For a long time they were lost in each other and the power of love. Giving, taking and receiving love. It was all a part of Christmas. The best Christmas ever!


End file.
